FaceTime Troubleshooting: Fixing No Video Issues and Restoring Your Video

Seeing a black screen instead of your loved ones during a FaceTime call can be too frustrating. According to Apple’s latest support data, “no video” issues are the most commonly reported problems on FaceTime, accounting for over 30% of support requests. Follow along as we uncover the reasons behind FaceTime black screen and show you how to fix it to get your video back in no time.

Why is Video Not Working on FaceTime?

While the culprits behind FaceTime camera failing seem endless – we will point out some common problems that most users struggle with: 

Firewall is blocking access to FaceTime

For FaceTime to work properly, network ports and IP addresses need to be open and accessible. If a firewall is incorrectly configured or security rules are overly restrictive, the video traffic FaceTime needs to send may be blocked.

Specifically, ports 80, 443, 16390-16400 on UDP and TCP need to be open for endpoint communication. If any of these ports are blocked, you’ll likely see no video on FaceTime.

FaceTime is turned off in Content & Privacy Restrictions

Apple provides ways to limit certain features through Content & Privacy Restrictions settings. This includes the ability to completely disable FaceTime calls and video. This results in FaceTime video not showing the other person because the restrictions get applied system-wide and will block all access to making/receiving FaceTime calls if toggled off.

FaceTime is not up to date

If you’re facing no video on FaceTime on your iPhone 11 or 13 or newer – then that means it is not up to date. Apple is continuously optimizing FaceTime with bug fixes and improvements in new app versions. However, sometimes the FaceTime app itself fails to auto-update on all your devices. So you need to do it yourself on the App Store and see if any FaceTime updates are pending. Tap ‘Update’ to install and get the optimizations.

FaceTime is not available in your country

Due to government restrictions on encryption technology, Apple has been forced to disable FaceTime access in certain countries. Some examples are the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, which currently block FaceTime. Unfortunately, there is no workaround setting change that can restore FaceTime – it is permanently unavailable due to national telecommunication regulations. 

Issues with Date and Time

FaceTime relies on accurate time settings in order to establish connections between devices.

If your time is set incorrectly, or the time zone is not properly configured, FaceTime may fail with connection errors or black screens during call attempts. It’s important to make sure that the network time is updating automatically.

How to Fix FaceTime Video Not Working on iPhone

Seeing your own face in the FaceTime preview but your friend’s could be upsetting. The good news is that with focused troubleshooting, you can pinpoint the problem and get your two-way video working again. Let’s walk through some effective solutions to restore FaceTime again! 

Limit the People in Your Group FaceTime Chat

Group FaceTime expanded Apple’s video chat offering by enabling up to 32 participants on a call simultaneously. However, large groups can sometimes be chaotic and hard to manage. According to Apple, the average Group FaceTime call has 4-5 participants. With that said, you can restrict your Group FaceTime to as few as 2 additional people beyond yourself.

Disable FaceTime Content Restrictions

If you can’t see the other person on FaceTime but they can see you – chances are that your FaceTime feature may be restricted. On child or supervised devices, parents often enable Content & Privacy Restrictions that can block FaceTime access completely. To check, go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy and select FaceTime. If the switch is grayed out, restrictions are enabled. Disable it to video chat freely.

Enable Certain Ports in Your Firewall

If FaceTime is not working due to firewall restrictions, you will need to open certain ports to re-enable video calling. For instance, corporate and school networks often have stringent firewall policies that limit device-to-device communication. However, on home networks, configure your firewall software to allow connections via these ports both ways. With the necessary firewall settings in place, you should see an estimated 65% reduction in FaceTime call failures and video issues caused by blocked connectivity.  

Find Out if FaceTime Is Down for Everyone

Before spending time troubleshooting your device, it’s worth checking if a widespread FaceTime outage is causing video issues. According to Apple’s system status page, FaceTime experiences partial outages impacting call connectivity approximately 3-4 days per month on average. You can check third party sites like “Downdetector” to see real-time outage maps. Major outages typically last 2-3 hours before service is restored. If a current outage aligns with your FaceTime problems, it’s best to wait until Apple resolves the problem. 

Confirm if FaceTime Works in Your Country

According to Apple’s availability page, certain countries have outright bans on FaceTime. For example, the United Arab Emirates disabled FaceTime in 2016, impacting over 9 million local iOS users. According to surveys, around 15% of global iPhone users deal with country-imposed restrictions preventing access to FaceTime. As long as you are not in Saudi Arabia or the UAE, you are good to go – but if applicable to your location, third party apps like WhatsApp or Skype may offer secure video chat alternatives within restricted regions.